


Heatwave

by syrenpan



Series: Cabin in the Woods [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: M/M, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-14 09:36:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7165823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syrenpan/pseuds/syrenpan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a heatwave and everyone is in desperate need for a break. So desperate in fact that Maxson and Danse agree to do the Minutemen a favour by clearing out a new settlement spot in a remote area in the north. It would be the perfect break from duty were it not for the fact that Maxson is secretly attracted to Danse. </p><p>Is there going to be a happy ending? Why don't you come in and find out?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heatwave

**Author's Note:**

> Fallout (c) Bethesda - No copyright infringement intended
> 
> A thousand thanks to my sisters in smut, [tess1978](http://archiveofourown.org/users/tess1978) and [Fancy Lads Snacks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Filthy_Bunny), for editing and cheering. You are the best. 
> 
> Ad Purgamentum!

It was sweltering in the main hangar of Boston Airport. An unexpected heatwave had forced the majority of the soldiers and scribes to abandon the Prydwen, now only operated by a skeleton crew, and establish themselves on the ground.

Elder Maxson wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand as he studied a map of the Commonwealth which was spread out on a rusty metal table in front of him. Painstakingly pinned down red and blue lines made of string criss-crossed the paper, indicating existing supply lines and yet to be established routes.

Paladin Danse stood on the other side of the table next to Preston Garvey of the Minutemen who was fanning himself with his hat. Even Danse, who usually wore his Power Armor like a second skin, had decided not to encase himself in metal in this heat and gave Arthur a chance to ogle the man discretely because Danse’s BOS suit left next to nothing to the imagination.

The downside of the pleasant view was that Arthur was even more aware of how sticky and sweaty he was, and that this meeting couldn’t end soon enough. The BOS’s supply of RadAway and RadX was diminishing fast because absolutely everyone took the chance to dip into the water when they were off duty, and the Elder was no exception.

The heatwave had caught everyone by surprise and the local settlements were struggling to the point that the General of the Minutemen, a former vault dweller by the name of Nathaniel McLeod, had approached the Brotherhood of Steel for aid in exchange for a share of the meager crops they hoped to produce.

McLeod, a taciturn war veteran of about fifty, had looked like he would rather eat his laser musket than talk to Maxson when they had met to negotiate the terms of this mutual beneficial arrangement but he had agreed to Arthur’s demands through gritted teeth and appointed his second in command, Preston Garvey, as liaison officer.

“Finch Farm have repaired their purifier but there are still some Forged around. We would appreciate it if you could send some soldiers as reinforcements,” Garvey said.

Arthur pursed his lips and replied, “A settlement close to the waterline and half-shaded by the, what do you call it again?”

“We call it the Pike, short for Mass Pike from the old signs.”

“Flowing water and the shade of the Pike, we probably have to run a lottery to determine who will be allowed to go. There will be a queue of volunteers around the hangar,” Danse muttered which made Arthur chuckle and secretly wish he could go himself.

Anything to get out of this god-forsaken heat and the airport because despite being close to the water and being less cramped than the Prydwen, everyone seemed to be standing on everyone else’s toes. People were jumpy and tetchy and annoyed that supplies had to be rationed which was much harder when you could see the volumes of things in stock every day.

Out loud he asked, “Was there anything else?”

“Not today, sir. We appreciate your assistance,” Preston said, donning his hat.

“Alright. Please pass on my thanks to General McLeod.”

Preston hesitated for a second before he said, “I will, sir.”

It was an open secret that McLeod despised the Brotherhood. Even before Arthur had arrived on the Prydwen, Paladin Danse had met the man at Cambridge Police Station, and although he provided assistance, the General had turned down the offer to join the ranks before Danse had even finished his sentence.

When Garvey failed to depart, Arthur looked up again and raised an eye-brow.

“May I be frank, sir?”

Arthur liked Preston. Were the man not such a loyal Minutemen, Maxson would have recruited him into the Brotherhood and granted him the rank of Knight ages ago. As things were, however, he had to be content with the fact that Garvey was respectful and efficient which was why he gave him the go ahead.

“You look like you could use a break.”

 _‘Ain’t that the truth?’_ Arthur thought but said, “Thank you, and just between us, I wish I could.”

Preston rubbed his chin and said, “I know of an abandoned spot that would be perfect for a new settlement. It’s north of Sanctuary near a stream but some beasts have started to nest there. If you could clear it out, you could use it for some R&R.”

Arthur exchanged a long look with Danse who simply crossed his arms over his chest before he slowly turned to look at Garvey. It sounded too good to be true, probably because it undoubtedly was.

“Preston, you don’t, by any chance, want us to do your dirty work for you?” Danse asked.

Garvey smiled sheepishly and scratched his nose.

“Did McLeod put you up to this?” Arthur asked, already knowing what the answer would be. Preston simply shrugged and avoided Maxson’s gaze which said more than a thousand words.

He was ready to dismiss the “offer” when he caught Danse’s eye again. They had been friends for a long time, even before Arthur had been appointed Elder, and by now they could have a whole conversations without uttering a single word.

It went something like this:

_“What do you think? It’s not the worst idea ever.”_

_“I suppose it’s not.”_

_“I don’t really mind sorting out a new settlement spot, we would benefit from it as well after all.”_

_“True. And if the place is even half as nice as Garvey makes it out to be, we could hang around a couple of days. Just to make sure it’s secure of course.”_

_“Of course.”_

_“It’s settled then.”_

_“Agreed.”_

Turning his attention back to Preston, Arthur asked, “Where is it exactly?”

*~*

Three hours later a Vertibird landed on a clearing about 400 yards away from where Preston had said the abandoned house should be. Lots of old trees had survived in the area, meaning the soil here was better than in other places, plus large trunks provided good cover and much desired shade.

Arthur ordered the pilot to wait with the supplies they had brought along and in case they had to make a swift departure. Preston had been suspiciously vague about the manner of the threat this area posed but the chance of two days with private access to flowing water and no responsibilities had trumped any safety concerns.

The pilot turned off the engine and picked up a Grognak comic which she perused with her feet propped up on the co-pilot seat even before Danse and Arthur were out of sight, their Power Armors clanking with every step, startling the local wildlife and probably alerting whatever was waiting for them.

“She is awfully chilled,” Arthur muttered into his headset as they advanced on the target and heard Danse chuckle in reply.

“Lambert has a rep for not giving any fucks. She is nearly sixty now and has survived more field missions than you and I combined, and that’s saying something.”

Arthur whistled and was about to reply when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He raised his arm and Danse stopped in his track.

“Safety off,” the Paladin muttered followed by a heartfelt, “ewww,” when he stepped into something squishy that burst like an overripe tato and splattered his suit with dark red blood.

“Yao guai, fresh kill,” Arthur confirmed.

“How the hell can you even tell?” Danse asked, trying to shake viscera off his boot.

“Because its head is over here,” Arthur replied. “Something big and sharp cut it clean off.”

“Deathclaw,” they both said at the same time.

“Remind me to write McLeod a heartfelt, “Fuck you!” memo when we get back to base,” Arthur said through gritted teeth.

“Affirmative,” Danse concurred.

The first swipe of the huge claw caught Arthur by surprise. One moment he was scanning the area, laser gun ready, and the next he was sailing through the air, his flight abruptly interrupted by the trunk of a large tree.

Thanks to his Power Armor the impact merely rattled him instead of breaking every bone in his body. But Arthur’s ears were ringing and the screen inside his helmet flickered alarmingly. On and off images of a huge Alpha Deathclaw swiping at Danse who was firing his laser rifle at the monster’s face while trying to dodge the relentless attacks.

Damn, that thing was fast. When Danse fell backward over a stump, the beast jumped on top of the Paladin and began to maul him. Even T-60 could only take so much. There was no time to plan. Without thinking, Arthur unholstered his spare 10mm, ran at the Deathclaw’s back and jumped.

Holding on to the largest shoulder spike, Maxson screamed and fired his whole clip into the monster’s brain before the beast had a chance to shake him off. An eerie silence settled over the area when the Deathclaw collapsed with a last grunt and the echo of Arthur’s cry stopped bouncing off the trees.

Scenes from another fight about eight years ago had started to replay in his head. He slid down the carcass’ back, panting. He lifted the gun in front if his eyes and was surprised to see that it was shaking. A gun, a knife, a gun, a knife. Arthur shook his head, trying to gain control again.

But only when he heard Danse’s voice, “A little help here!” Did Maxson come back to the present. He holstered the pistol and looked around.

“Shit!” Arthur cursed. The Deathclaw had collapsed on top of the Paladin. Thankfully, the Power Armor looked dented but otherwise intact.

“Can you get me out?” Danse wheezed.

Maxson pushed against the dead beast but it wouldn’t budge. “Hang on,” he said, took a few steps backwards and ran at it at full speed. He pushed himself off the ground and hit the monster’s neck with both feet.

All he got for his effort was a grunt from Danse and a sore butt when he landed on it. “Danse, I have good news and bad news,” Arthur said, still sitting on the ground.

“Make it quick,” Danse grunted.

“I think I can get you out.”

“And the bad news?”

“I have to blow the fucker up.”

“Oh joy,” Danse replied flatly.

*~*

The explosion was violent enough to rock the Vertibird 400 yards away. Pilot Lambert wet her lips and flipped to the next page. When bits of Deathclaw hit the windshield, she did look up and muttered, “Fucking kids,” before she went back to reading her comic.

*~*

“Ouch...mmmm.” Danse hung his head when the pain meds kicked in and brought much needed relief.

Once the Deathclaw had been dispatched and Danse had finally been able to exit his Power Armor, he had collapsed on the ground after a mere two steps. Arthur had picked him up and carried him to the abandoned house which was in surprisingly good shape. The roof had collapsed, making the first floor uninhabitable, but as far as Arthur could tell the ground floor looked sound.

The place had a large porch facing the stream which was a good fifteen yards down the bank.

Arthur had propped Danse onto an armchair that someone had left on the porch and injected him with a stimpak, and then another one just to make sure.

“Thank you, Arthur,” Danse mumbled when the second dose kicked in, and sagged backwards.

“Don’t mention it, soldier,” Arthur said with a smile. He had taken his helmet off. The monitor was busted and therefore not much use. Danse returned the smile and whispered, “I like it when you call me that,” before he closed his eyes.

Arthur was glad Danse couldn’t see the blush that he felt was spreading across the bridge of his nose. He quickly stood up and said, “I will go and get the supplies. Will you be okay on your own?”

Danse snorted before he blindly fumbled for his laser rifle next to his chair and laid it across his lap before he replied, “Affirmative.”

Arthur grinned and stomped off in the direction of the Vertibird.

He had to make four trips before he had carried everything to the house. By the time he had finished the third trip, Danse was already moving around and setting up traps to secure the area.

When he was done and the Vertibird had left, Arthur exited his Power Armor, leaving it right next to the porch, then stripped off his boots and socks. He picked up a crate of Gwinnett Stout and carried it down to the stream.

The water felt wonderfully cool when Arthur waded in. It was shallow, reaching only to mid-calf at the deepest point, but it would do. During the rainy season this brook would probably deserve to be called a river, measuring on average five yards across, but now it was barely two yards wide.

Arthur secured the crate in the shallow with a few rocks, his mouth watering at the prospect of a cold beer in the not so far distant future. Maxson breathed in the air and smiled. Yes, he had made the right call to come out here; he felt cooler and more relaxed already.

A foul curse from the direction of the house drew his attention and he sprinted back, picking up his own laser rifle as soon as he reached the porch.

“Danse?”

Another curse followed by, “I’m here.”

“What’s the situation?” Arthur shouted back.

“That depends,” Danse replied. Arthur followed the voice inside the house, it came from the front room. As soon as Arthur entered, he saw the gaping hole in the wall which had been concealed from view until now because it was the one facing a cluster of trees.

Danse was crouching on the ground but looked up when Arthur came into view.

“Do you prefer an omelet or a pet?”

*~*

“This is good,” Arthur muttered between bites.

Danse nodded in agreement while he stuffed another piece of Deathclaw egg omelet into his mouth. They sat next to each other in front of a small fire close to the water’s edge.

“Good thing Deathclaws are territorial, I doubt we’ll have to worry about another one lurking about.”

Danse nodded again and said with his mouth full, “I have set traps all around, even on the other side of the stream. We should be okay for now, should another Yao guai or whatever decide to drop by.”

“Mmh, Yao guai steak,” Arthur chuckled.

The sun was starting to set and unlike at the airport where the metal and concrete still radiated heat long after all light had vanished, the temperature did drop out here in the wilderness. Both Danse and Arthur sighed happily and then stared at each other before they burst out laughing. They clinked their bottles together and drank.

After a few more minutes of companionable silence, Danse sniffed the air and asked, “What’s that smell?”

Arthur took a deep breath through the nose, trying to locate the source of the slightly unpleasant odor and concluded with a wry grin, “It’s me.”

Danse automatically leaned away from him which earned him a smack on the shoulder.

“Ouch,” Danse whined in mock pain.

Arthur rolled his eyes at him, finished his meal and washed it down with the rest of his beer before he got up and started to strip off his black BOS suit.

“I’ll go for a wash then, shall I?” Arthur asked, clearly not expecting an answer, but Danse was nodding at him slowly with wide eyes anyway before he focused on his meal again.

Arthur sighed and waded into the water. He had taken the suit with him, figuring it would need to get cleaned as well. He rinsed it as best he could and tossed it back on the shore before he walked to the middle of the stream and kneeled down. He even held his head into the running water to wash his hair.

He sensed someone approaching and when he looked up, he discovered that Danse was standing in front of him, nude, and holding something in his hand. It was a bar of soap.

Arthur took it with a muttered thanks, and began to lather himself from head to toe, trying very hard to concentrate on washing and not thinking about, and definitely, under no circumstances, looking at Danse who had started to wash himself so close next to Arthur that he felt the water Danse was sloshing around hit him on the arm and torso.

 _‘Oh gods, get a grip on yourself, Elder,’_ Arthur admonished himself.

Soldiers in the field saw each other naked all the time. They had communal showers in the BOS for crying out loud, and the fact that he and Danse were alone and naked and he had maybe a little crush on his friend should simply not matter. Absolutely not. Besides, he was his superior. Even if fraternization was common--even encouraged--among members of the BOS because it kept them from straying to unsavory sources of company, there was absolutely no indication whatsoever that Danse would even be interested in a physical relationship with him.

 _‘Maybe it would be better if I went back to shore. Now. Right now,’_ Arthur advised himself before he straightened up, willing his cock not to twitch at the thought of Danse’s perfect body glistening wet in the waning sunlight. Maxson tried not to look at him as he extended the hand with the soap to give it back to Danse. “Here,” he said and coughed to cover up how squeaky his voice sounded.

“Arthur,” Danse’s voice made him look up against his better judgement.

 _‘Fuck. Why are you so fucking hot?’_ Arthur cursed inside his head, his lips pressed into a grim line to keep the drool from leaking out. Danse was staring at him with his big brown eyes, no, not at him at his… _‘What?’_

“Arthur, I think you should use a stimpak,” Danse said seriously. Arthur’s eyes widened and he looked down at himself.

“Your ass is one big bruise, how did you even manage to sit on it?” Danse asked, clearly trying to suppress a chuckle.

Maxson twisted his head and cursed. It must have happened when he had hit the tree, or when he had tried to kick the Deathclaw off of the Paladin. His whole ass was a deep shade of purple.

“Looks like I got a right spanking from that alpha,” Arthur said, still twisting his head to try to get a better view, and thankful for the distraction because he had been about to embarrass himself. “Honestly, it doesn’t hurt all that much.”

Arthur looked up and the soap slipped from his suddenly clumsy fingers. Danse made a noise and bent down to pick it up before it could get washed away by the water, giving Arthur a very nice view of that perfect ass.

“I’ll go find a stimpak,” Arthur said quickly and was out of the water and halfway back to the porch before Danse had straightened up again.

 _‘Oh boy!’_ Arthur thought. This little R &R might prove to be more stressful than he had anticipated.

*~*

That night Arthur couldn’t get to sleep. He twisted and turned in his sleeping bag until he admitted defeat and got up. Dressed only in his briefs, he wandered out onto the porch and looked at the sky.

Millions of stars illuminated the night. They shone much brighter because it was a new moon.

 _‘No jealous satellite stealing your glory tonight.’_ Arthur smiled at himself. It was probably a good thing that no-one knew that he was a romantic at heart. As a kid he had devoured the old stories related to the legendary king whose name he shared. It was how he had named the Prydwen.

Chivalry and honor and adventure; a righteous king standing with his faithful knights against the odds that sought to destroy him. Arthur glanced back at the sleeping Paladin.

 _‘My very own Lancelot,’_ Arthur thought, _‘only I have no Guinevere for you to steal, only my own heart.’_

Arthur raked his hands through his hair and sighed. He tried to stay professional but it was getting harder by the minute. The months he and Danse had spent apart had been hard for him. He had hoped his attraction would cease or find another target. But no such luck. If anything it had only made him want Danse more. He stole another glance at the man.

 _‘I want you,’_ Arthur admitted to himself. _‘But I can never have what I want. Not like this, it would not be right.’_

Before he knew what he was doing, Arthur had softly stepped closer and gazed down at his sleeping friend’s face. He looked relaxed and handsome and Arthur had to resist the urge to reach down to brush through the thick locks.

As if he had sensed his intention, Danse made a discontent sound in the back of his throat and rolled over. Arthur suppressed a chuckle and went back to sit in the armchair on the porch.

The night was still warm but nothing compared to the melting pot that was Boston airport right now. Yet Arthur felt he had only traded one kind of heat for another.

 _‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire,’_ Arthur thought and willed himself not to steal any more glances inside the house and instead focused his gaze on the horizon. Daylight would still be a long time off but he would make do. Somehow, he always did.

*~*

The scent of fresh coffee under his nose made Arthur twitch awake and look first at the steaming mug and then into the smiling face of Paladin Danse.

“Good morning,” Danse said.

“Morning,” Arthur muttered and groaned at the stiffness in his neck and legs. He must have dozed off in the armchair after all. Danse had been kind enough to drape a spare blanket over him and make him coffee.

“You’re a good friend,” Arthur said while stifling a yawn and reaching for the mug.

“I try,” Danse replied softly.

It was only now that Arthur noticed that the Paladin was wearing a white t-shirt and ACU slacks instead of the orange suit.

Arthur hastily took a sip of coffee to cover his surprise. He couldn’t even remember when he had last seen Danse in anything but his Power Armor or the BOS suit. He looked damn good too.

 _‘Apart from last night when he wore nothing at all, you mean.’_ Arthur imagined stuffing a sock into his inner voice’s mouth.

“Good coffee, thanks,” Arthur said stiffly and tried to get up. Several joints popped and protested. “Fuck, I’m getting old.”

Danse just shot him a pointed look but said nothing. Arthur shrugged and got dressed in the same outfit Danse was wearing except that his shirt was dark green.

They ate cram out of cans for breakfast and Arthur volunteered to do the dishes.

“I’ll get started on the generator for the beacon,” Danse announced but stopped when Arthur hissed through his teeth.

“What?” Danse asked.

“About that,” Maxson started and straightened up. “I might have forgotten to bring the crates with the parts.”

Both of Danse’s eyebrows rose. “Why?”

Arthur clasped his hands behind his back and said, “Because McLeod can go fuck himself if he thinks I’m doing him even more of a favor than I am already. He can send his own people with his own fucking supplies and build his own motherfucking beacon for all I care. That is, if I am willing to release this place from my control at all.”

Danse stared at him for a few seconds before he scratched his chin and said, “Garvey won’t like it.”

“Garvey will understand, he is practically one of us, given how often he is at the airport or out with one of our patrols. And even if he doesn’t, what can he do?”

Danse still looked unhappy. “I just think we need him on our good side and we promised him to clear out this spot and set up the beacon. I don’t like going back on my word, sir.”

Arthur hesitated when Danse slipped back into work mode. It felt out of place out here with just the two of them which was why his reply came out a little more annoyed than it had to be. “I appreciate your dedication, however, I have made no such promises.”

Danse opened his mouth but Arthur cut him off, “I merely asked where the location was and that I might go and take a look, nothing more.”

“That’s not…,” Danse pressed his lips together, his nostrils flared before he continued, “the agreement was that we clear out the spot for them to move in.”

“And we did.”

“But…,” Danse’s shoulders relaxed in defeat. “Understood, sir.”

“Please don’t do that,” Arthur finally snapped.

“Do what, sir?”

“This!” Arthur gestured between the two of them and then pointed to the area at large which only made Danse frown more.

Arthur huffed and said, “Don’t call me that out here, it feels wrong. We are friends, are we not?”

“But…,” Danse began but something in Maxson’s face must have changed his mind because he finished with, “Okay, Arthur. But as your friend, I’m saying I still think it’s a dick move.”

“It is,” Arthur admitted calmly. “And McLeod can suck my cock for all I care, he is not getting this place delivered to him on a silver platter,” he added defiantly.

Something akin to annoyance flashed across Danse’s face. Arthur could see the muscles in his jaw work but he remained silent and Maxson figured that the last word in this matter had been spoken.

He picked up the clean dishes and walked back to the porch. When he had put the mugs away he saw Danse stride into the forest.

“Where are you going?” Arthur called.

“I’m getting my Power Armor,” Danse shouted back and disappeared between the trees.

Arthur frowned and decided to follow him. He picked up his laser rifle, slung it over his shoulder and walked after the Paladin.

He found Danse where they had battled and defeated the Deathclaw which was now a small clearing. Charred and broken trees outlined the scorched earth in the centre where the remnants of Danse’s suit stood. Torso and arms had been blasted off, the legs were stained in black and clearly unusable. It had done its job but paid the ultimate price. After the explosion, Danse had managed to get up and eject but that had been it. Arthur had removed the FC but had written the T60 off as a lost cause.

“Let it go, Danse,” Arthur said not without sympathy and placed his hand on Danse’s shoulder.

To his surprise the other man sidestepped, so his hand fell off.

“I’m sorry, there really was no other way to get you out,” Arthur said dejectedly.

Danse scoffed. “I know that. Shit, Arthur, can you give me a minute here. Go, go back to the house.”

Maxson’s mouth slackened and his forehead wrinkled into a frown. He knew that Danse loved, no worshipped, his suit but this seemed a bit like an overreaction. Still, he didn’t want to appear to be disrespectful. He had upset his friend enough for one day.

“Okay,” he just said and walked back, stealing surreptitious glances over his shoulder. Danse seemed to be focused on the suit, pulling on bits and pieces. Arthur decided to let him grieve.

*~*

Danse returned a short while later. To pass the time, Arthur had busied himself whittling a crude target with numbers into one of the larger trees. He had just finished and was admiring his work when Danse stepped next to him.

Arthur smiled at the Paladin who tried to keep a straight face, looking back and forth between the basic make-shift dartboard and his beaming Elder. He ended up biting his lower lip before he cleared his throat and said, “Fine work, sir,” and immediately apologized for the slip of the tongue which took the fun out of the situation.

But Arthur just patted him on the shoulder and said, “It’s okay, I know you didn’t mean it.”

Danse smirked, “So I can ‘sir’ you when I’m not serious but when I’m serious I should call you Arthur?”

Maxson stepped back and drew a line on the floor with the heel of his boot. “When we are here, yes.”

“You are doing my head in, Arthur. You really are,” Danse said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Only in a good way, I hope,” Arthur said, concentrating on the target, combat knife in hand.

He aimed carefully, balancing the blade in his palm. “Shall we play best out of th...”

“I’m in love with you too.”

The knife missed its target by more than a yard and disappeared between the hubflowers that grew like weeds in the area.

“Wha...How…?”

“You talk in your sleep,” Danse said matter of factly. “When I put the blanket over you last night you said, “thank you, Danse, I love you.” I couldn’t sleep after that.”

Arthur finally turned his head and stared at Danse with his mouth open who was smiling at him and nodded as if he had only just figured it out. He confirmed Maxson’s suspicion by saying just that.

“I figured it out. Out there,” he pointed toward the new clearing where his suit had died.

Arthur had lost the ability to speak or move, all he could do was stare and listen when Danse put the pieces together for him that must have been whirling around in his head.

“You know I have always respected you, and I always will. When we started to spend time together, at first, it was like you were like every other soldier, only you were not. I felt a pull, a connection I hadn’t felt since… you know who.”

Danse still couldn’t bring himself to say Cutler’s name out loud. The scar still too raw, too fresh, but Arthur knew. He had been there the night Danse had come back alone after he had been forced to kill his best friend, and maybe his lover, Arthur had never been sure about that part.

Danse had not cried, he had just sat in the darkest corner of the supply depot and said nothing for three days. Arthur had brought him water and food and had to almost force him to eat and drink. It had been a dark time but it had also brought them closer together.

“But then when you became Elder and you grew into the man you are now, something changed in here,” Danse pointed toward his chest. “I didn’t understand it and it was scaring me, so much, I tried to put it out of my mind. Did you know I volunteered to come here?”

Arthur nodded. He remembered reading Kell’s report only after the fact. The second he had gotten a free minute he had stormed into Danse’s quarters only to find that he had left without saying good-bye.

“I put a dent in your locker door.”

Danse frowned, “Yes, I had wondered how that had gotten there.”

“I was so mad at you,” Arthur confessed and stepped closer until he was within arm’s reach of the other man.

The Paladin glanced sheepishly at Arthur, “I’m sorry, I was just scared of what was going on between us.”

“You didn’t consider talking to me?” Arthur asked angrily, surprising himself. All the suppressed emotions started to bubble to the surface now that the cat was out of the bag.

“Neither did you,” Danse shot back but his eyes softened when saw the look on Arthur’s face.

“I’m...” Before Danse could finish his apology, Arthur had closed the gap between them and mashed their mouths together. Danse made a surprised sound in the back of his throat, his hands twitching by his side, still not touching.

Arthur had no such reservations. He wrapped his hands around the back of Danse’s head and licked along the seam of his lips, asking for more. Hesitantly, the Paladin opened his mouth and allowed Maxson to taste him. At the first brush of Arthur tongue against his something snapped inside Danse, his arms came around Arthur, pulling their bodies together. Arthur broke off the kiss and moaned when his crotch connected with the other man’s thigh.

One of Danse’s hands wandered down to Arthur’s ass and squeezed, pulling him even closer against his muscled leg. Arthur panted open mouthed against Danse’s smile.

“Clothes off now,” Maxson pressed out.

“But I haven’t finished...”

“Tell me later,” Arthur groaned and swallowed any further protest with his lips. Danse stopped resisting and actively helped stripping them both on the way into the house.

“Fuck,” Danse rasped at the sight of Arthur naked and sprawled on top his sleeping bag. Maxson licked his lips as he looked up at Danse who was still wearing his pants. The dark line of hair growing from below his navel was particularly fascinating.

“Take them off,” Arthur commanded.

Danse complied teasingly slowly. First opening the belt before pulling it out. He bent down and wound it around Arthur’s neck, pulling him into a sloppy kiss.

Not known for his patience Arthur grabbed Danse’s shoulders, and kicked his legs out from under him. He rolled them both until he was lying flush on top of his lover, grinning triumphantly.

“Stop being such a tease,” Maxson growled.

“You are one to talk,”Danse moaned as Arthur began to leave soft bites along his neck. “You were the one who waded naked into the water with his spanked ass last night.”

“Liked that, didn’t you?” Arthur chuckled into the Paladin’s skin. He fumbled for one of Danse’s hands and placed it onto his own naked butt. “See, all better now.”

Danse gave Arthur a short slap, making the younger man moan and chuckle at the same time. Danse did it again a bit harder and Arthur groaned. Lust sparked in the older man’s eyes, “Next time, I’ll do the spanking myself.”

Maxson’s eyes grew wide and Danse seized the moment to pull Arthur against him again, eliciting a satisfying moan from the younger man before he let him go, brushing his fingers through Arthur’s hair and encouraging him to continue where he had left off leaving kissing and bites down the Paladin’s collar bone.

“Are you trying to tell me you weren’t fleeing from the sight of naked me? Too good for you perhaps?” Danse asked slyly as Arthur kissed his way down the Paladin’s chest, swirling his tongue around the sensitive naval, making Danse chuckle.

“Oh, I totally was,” Maxson admitted freely which made Danse laugh. Laughter turned into a long drawn out groan when Arthur clamped his mouth over Danse’s cock through the fabric of his slacks.

“Are you going to take them off now?” Arthur asked and sat back on his haunches to lend a helping hand when Danse made an unintelligent sound and began to wriggle out of his trousers.

“Hot damn,” Arthur said appreciatively when Danse lay finally naked underneath him. He stroked his own cock at the sight and enjoyed seeing how Danse’s eyes grew wider and darker.

“Who’s a tease now?” Danse growled and sat up so fast Arthur fell on his ass again. He laughed breathlessly when Danse pulled him over the floor and positioned him on the sleeping bag, even shoving one of the pillows under Maxson’s ass, before he darted his tongue out to lick a drop of precum from Arthur’s cock.

“Arthur?”

“Hn?”

“Never talk about another man sucking your cock in front of me again, not even as a joke. Understood?”

“Fuck, are you serious?” Arthur moaned. It was so dumb but also so fucking hot that Danse got jealous because he had made an offhand insult about someone else giving him a blow-job. Arthur chuckled but ended up biting his lip when Danse swiped his tongue over his dick again before he said, “Absolutely.”

“Fuck, Danse,” Arthur groaned when the Paladin grabbed the base of Arthur’s cock and sucked him into this mouth. Maxson dug his heels into the floor, his hips developing a mind of their own, starting to buck into the wet heat. Danse pulled back, making Arthur whine, desperately trying to fuck the Paladin’s fist that was still holding the base his cock. But Danse was having none of that. He draped his other arm over Arthur’s hips to pin him in place.

“You are so fucking hot when you lose control. Maybe next time I’ll let you fuck my mouth.” Arthur moaned as the image of Danse on his knees with his mouth open and letting him shove his hard cock between Danse’s gorgeous lips, popped into his head.

“Yes,” Maxson begged but Danse shook his head, his chin brushing teasingly against Arthur’s cock.

“Not today, lover. For now, I want you to lie back, relax and let me get you off,” Danse growled before he sucked Arthur’s dick back into this mouth.

Arthur threw his head back, his hands grabbing Danse’s hair. He tried to warn the Paladin when he felt his balls lifting by pulling on his hair but it only made the other man suck him harder, and it was so freaking hot. Arthur was going to come in Danse’s mouth and damn, damn, damn.

He didn’t have time to complete the thought before he shattered. When he came down, he felt Danse release his dick, giving it a last lick before he scooted up and rested his head on Arthur’s tummy.

“Mmmh,” Danse rumbled satisfied against the skin of his stomach while Arthur mechanically combed his fingers through the dark locks. He couldn’t remember when had last felt so boneless or relaxed.

“I love you, you know,” Arthur confessed, glancing down his body at the crown of Danse’s head.

The Paladin wormed his hands underneath Maxson and hugged him like pillow before he replied, “I love you too.”

Danse shifted slightly and pulled himself up until he could plant a soft kiss on Arthur’s lips. Maxson felt his lover’s hard cock move against his own. He hissed as his dick twitched despite everything.

“What do you want?” Arthur asked and ground his hip into Danse’s erection again, making him moan into Arthur’s neck.

“I…,” Danse hesitated, stealing more time by distracting Arthur with another kiss.

Maxson moved his head, wrenching his lips away and looking into Danse’s eyes. They were huge, almost black. Arthur repeated his question, biting his lower lip and grinding his hip even harder into Danse. “I want to hear you say it.”

“I want to come,” Danse admitted with a moan.

“Yeah, I know that,” Arthur growled, catching his lover’s earlobe between his teeth and gently biting down, making Danse hiss. “Say it!” Arthur demanded.

“I want to come,” Danse repeated and bent his lips closer to Arthur’s ear before he whispered, “inside your ass.”

Maxson groaned and reached down to grab Danse’s butt and pulled him closer. Both men moaned, kissing hungrily.

“Fuck,” Arthur rasped. “We need...”

Danse lifted his head from the crook of Arthur’s neck where he had left a possessive bruise and narrowed his eyes. “Stay here.”

As soon as he was gone, Arthur felt cold despite the heat outside. He reached down to stroke his half-hard dick, watching Danse kneel in the corner of the room, rummaging through his duffle bag with his personal belongings. When the older man straightened up and turned around again, Arthur forgot how to breathe.

Danse was perfection; every muscle defined, his whole body dusted with dark hair in all the right places, his hard cock, slightly longer and thicker than Arthur’s own, jutting with every step.

“Fuck me,” Arthur said and enjoyed the sharp intake of breath from Danse in response to his wanton command. When he spread his legs wider, exposing himself to the Paladin, Danse licked his lips and dropped to the floor. He tossed the lid of the small can he had retrieved from his bag away before he dipped two fingers into the petroleum jelly at once.

“This might sting a little,” he said as he pushed the first digit against the darker skin of Arthur’s puckered entrance.

Feeling a little despondent, Arthur said, “I know it will, it’s not the first time.”

Danse moved his chin, eyes narrowing, and he pushed the finger in all the way. Arthur yelped, it stung like hell but he chuckled as soon as the pain subsided. “You really can’t stand it, can you?”

Danse moved his finger in and out as he leaned over Maxson’s body supporting himself with his other arm while his right hand fucked Arthur’s hole.

When he added the second finger, he asked, “Can’t stand the thought of you being with anyone else?” He punctuated the question by moving his fingers over that spot inside Arthur’s ass. Maxson threw his head back and moaned.

“Can’t stand thinking that someone else got to see you wanton and open and ready to be fucked? No, I can’t. You are mine and I don’t share. To the victor go the spoils, and I won.” Danse said and planted a bruising kiss on Arthur’s lips, swallowing his moans, as his fingers worked mercilessly in and out of Maxson’s ass.

Danse was panting open mouthed as he watched Arthur writhe under his hand. “Mine,” he growled again, “fuck, Arthur, I can’t wait any more.”

“Fuck,” Arthur panted as the fingers vanished, leaving him feeling empty and needy. Maxson watched impatiently as Danse coated his dick with slick before he positioned himself and pushed inside. He bore steadily forward until he bottomed out. The Paladin trembled as he fought against the urge to move.

After what felt like a small eternity, Danse asked “Ready?” His voice was shaking, sweat coating his whole body. Arthur nodded and his lover started to rock into him with a grateful moan. Arthur tried to match the Paladin’s thrust with his hips but they were both too far gone to find any rhythm. The slapping sound of flesh meeting flesh in a frantic staccato echoed through the room. Danse’s other hand slipped between their moving bodies, wrapping his fist around Arthur’s cock, jerking him off without any skill or art, just chasing the inevitable.

It was lewd and filthy and so, so hot. They both tried to make it last and failed. Too horny, too wrapped up in the fact that they had finally admitted what they had obviously both wanted for so long. Arthur came first between their bodies, coating them both in his cum. The hot mess splashing on his skin pulled Danse over the edge as well. His thrusts became just shy of painful as he emptied himself inside his lover with a long, drawn out groan.

Danse collapsed without grace on top of Arthur’s chest who didn’t mind because he was still high and loved the solid hardness over his lover covering him despite the heat of the noon sun which had turned the house into an oven.

“I had no idea you were so possessive,” Arthur said eventually. He had resumed stroking Danse’s hair. He found it very soothing, Danse seemed to like it too.

“Mh, I want what’s mine to be mine. Is that really so surprising? And don’t try to tell me you wouldn’t draw your gun on anyone who would make a pass at me!” Danse mumbled into Arthur's skin.

“I would gut them like a fish,” Arthur said earnestly which made Danse smile.

“Shit, my knife is still out there,” Arthur frowned and started to nudge Danse into moving. The Paladin made a whiny sound but rolled off Arthur who sat up, scratching at his tummy. Dry flakes fell on his sleeping bag, he wrinkled his nose.

“We need to wash and then look for the knife. Come on, soldier, let’s go,” Arthur said, a slow smile spreading across his face as he saw Danse’s cock twitch when he had called him soldier.

“You really do like it,” Maxson said with glee.

“Like what?”

“On your feet, soldier,” Arthur said in his best commanding voice, and as if on cue, Danse’s cock jumped.

He grinned at Danse who smirked back and shrugged. “Yeah, so?”

Arthur leaned in for a quick kiss and made a mental note to exploit that later. “Wash, now.”

He got up and pulled Danse onto his feet as well. The Paladin stumbled into him, completely on purpose and said, “Oops, sorry,” and was clearly not, given the way how his hands grabbed Arthur’s ass and pulled him flush against him for another kiss.

Arthur made an approving sound before he pulled Danse outside into the bright light of the noon sun.

“Has it cooled down?” Danse asked when they walked to the water. Arthur looked back at him, “No, not really,” he smiled, “but I think we don’t mind so much any more.”

“Arthur?”

“Mh?” Maxson asked as he walked into the water. It was pleasantly cool.

“Let’s keep it?”

Arthur frowned for a second, then it dawned on him, “The house?”

“Yeah,” Danse said, biting his lower lip.

Arthur raised his eyebrow, “Not so bothered about pissing off the Minutemen any more?”

Danse looked away and rubbed the back of his head, “No?”

Maxson smiled and walked back to pull Danse into the stream. “I suppose I could arrange that. Besides, there is bound to be another heatwave coming soon.”

“And the Elder should be at his best, which means he needs a safe place to recharge from time to time,” Danse added helpfully.

Arthur laughed, “Yes, let’s keep it.”

“Ours?”

“Yes, ours. And what we have, we keep.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Danse said.

“So will I, soldier, so will I.”

The End


End file.
